


"Goodbye"

by pickleplum



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Bickering, Celebratory Drinks, Gen, Goodbyes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-27
Updated: 2014-05-27
Packaged: 2018-01-26 16:20:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1694663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pickleplum/pseuds/pickleplum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A toast to the end of K-Science. Sort of.</p>
            </blockquote>





	"Goodbye"

"So ... this is 'goodbye,' huh?" Newt asks as he leans against the base of Hermann's ladder, scooting it **just** enough to interrupt the flow of the mathematician's latest equation. "K-Science is over."

"Yes," Hermann sighs as he climbs down, "I suppose this day has been coming for a while."

"Yeah. Stupid politicians and their stupid budget cuts." Newt throws up his hands. "We're getting so **close** , too!"

Hermann slouches into his swivel chair. "Indeed," he says, taking a sip of coffee. He grimaces and sets it down.

"Cold?"

Hermann pushes the cup away.

"Uh ... where will you be going?" Newt prompts, perching on the edge of Hermann's desk.

" **Me**?" Hermann stiffens. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll fight until a Kaiju kills me. Where are **you** going?"

Newt crosses his arms over his chest. " **I'm** not leaving. I've got too much left to learn."

"Oh joy. I **was** hoping for my final months to be peaceful," Hermann grumbles under his breath.

"We're the last scientists standing." Newt cocks his head. "I figured you'd be one of the last out of here. It probably **will** take a Kaiju to pry you out of this lab."

Hermann snorts. " **You're** still here because this is the only place you have access to your precious entrails."

"Well, that and," Newt says as he scratches the back of his head, "no one else will hire me. I pretty much burned all my bridges when I moved here."

"Surely there's a university ... ," Hermann begins, eyes wide.

"Nah. My rep precedes me. From all the way back at MIT and the tenure fiasco." Newt pushes his glass up onto his forehead and rubs his eyes. "My specialty's pretty much shot now that folks want to ditch the coasts, too. I'm not the most marketable guy."

"I-I hadn't realized," Hermann stammers.

"Eh. Whatever," Newt offers with an unconvincing shrug. "It's fitting, though, right? The two of us making the last stand together? First into the science on forums, last scientists on the front lines." He grins hopefully at Hermann.

"I suppose there is something poetic about the situation."

"Yeah. I'd drink to that. Hey, we should drink to that!" Newt shoves himself off the desk and to his feet. "I'm sure there's something around here ... "

Hermann smirks. "I believe Mister Graves left us his stash of brandy."

Newt pauses mid-stride. "Wasn't he whining about how he couldn't find it while he was packing?"

Hermann hums in agreement and his smirk grows wider.

"You sneaky **bastard**!" Newt squeals.

Hermann shrugs in response.

"Where did you hide it?"

"Behind your four copies of _Kaiju: Myth and Reality._ "

"Excellent! I'll grab us some beakers and we can get the party started," says Newt, treking deeper into his side of the lab.

"I am **not** drinking from **anything** stored on your side!" Hermann shouts after him.

"Oh, come **on**!" Newt yells back. "They've been through the autoclave! They're perfectly safe!"

"I will not drink from your laboratory equipment!"

"Have it your way, **Hermann**. You can just drink from the bottle!"

"I have **manners** , **Newton**. For once, could you behave as though you have them?"

"I can have **fun** , that's why! Could **you** behave as though you've heard of it?"

"Just pass the damned bottle."

 

**Author's Note:**

> Prompted by white-throated-packrat, who asked for a story about "How Hermann reacted to being recruited to the Resistance. with or without knowing Newt would be there to?"
> 
> Beta-ed by [artificiallifecreator](http://archiveofourown.org/users/artificiallifecreator/pseuds/artificiallifecreator), the very epitome of awesome.


End file.
